Gov. Bobby Jindal still has no well-financed Democratic rivals

With about six weeks to go before qualifying for statewide office begins, time is running out on a well-financed Democrat to challenge Gov. Bobby Jindal, who has $8.8 million in the bank and more being raised, political experts said Tuesday.

View full sizeHenrietta Wildsmith, The Shreveport Times, via The Associated PressLouisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal greets Marcus Wren Jr., chairman of the board of Music Mountain Water Company, on Monday, moments before an announcement that the water company will be creating jobs in Shreveport.

"It is unthinkable that a candidate without deep pockets could make a serious run" for governor, Louisiana State University political scientist Kirby Goidel said. "Even with deep pockets, it is tough to imagine a candidate putting together the sort of organization necessary to be competitive.

"At this point, you are in the game or you aren't."

Goidel's assessment comes a day after fundraising and spending reports were due to be filed by candidates seeking statewide office. The next reports are due 30 days before the Oct. 22 primary.

The only announced Democratic challenger to Jindal is Tara Hollis of Haynesville, a special education teacher who has been traveling the state listening to individuals and groups on ways to improve Louisiana. Hollis reported raising $3,566 in the April 16-to-July 14 period and spending all but $953.21 of it.

"There haven't been any big announcements, but qualifying closes on Sept. 8," said state Democratic Party Executive Director Renee Lapyerolerie, hinting that some better-known candidates may still surface.

She said party officials are talking strategy and courting some candidates. She did not mention specific names.

Sen. Rob Marionneaux, D-Livonia, said last week he is considering the race but would not have a decision for another two weeks. He said he will not get in the race if polling shows Jindal with an unassailable lead.

New Orleans businessman John Georges reported in April lending himself $10.1 million for a "statewide office" campaign, but in the reports filed by Monday's deadline, he had canceled the loan and showed a zero balance in a campaign account.

Georges did not return telephone calls or emails on the his plans. He ran an unsuccessful race for governor four years ago and failed last year in a run for mayor of New Orleans.

Even with personal resources to self-finance a race, Goidel said, "any candidate will find it hard to make a race if you don't have an organization or structure" for a campaign by now. "It is hard to go from zero to 60."

Goidel said that "most candidates think that they can win and lightning may strike," but often they get in a race to get name exposure for a future contest.

Writing a big check is just part of a campaign, said veteran Baton Rouge pollster-political consultant Bernie Pinsonat. "Voters still like to see candidates at tea parties and dinners with shoe leather on the ground. . . .You have to have a campaign staff and travel the state."

That should have been done six months ago to possibly mount a credible race for governor, Pinsonat said. "Writing a check for yourself is fine, but you also have to have the $100, $200, $1,000, $2,000 donations from those who invest in your campaign."

"Dropping $3 million (of personal resources) into the lieutenant governor race, the secretary of state's race or down-ballot races, you will be competitive," but probably not in the governor's race, Pinsonat said.

Former Secretary of State Al Ater, a longtime Democrat whose name frequently crops up as a possible statewide candidate, said the state party needs to regain its balance after a Republican Party onslaught in past few years.

Ater said past party leaders did not do a good job promoting viable candidates or recruiting new ones, a problem that he said party Chairman Claude "Buddy" Leach is trying to address.

"You've got to crawl again, you've got to walk again before you run again," said Ater, a farmer-businessman from Ferriday.

Ater said although he thinks Jindal is "very vulnerable," based on recent polling showing that 60 percent of the voters would consider casting a ballot for someone else, it may be too late to mount a campaign to beat him.

Instead, Ater said, the state Democratic Party should focus on one or two races such as secretary of state or lieutenant governor. "They would be best served by picking out one or two races and putting great strength there with qualified candidates," he said.

All statewide elected officials are Republicans except U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu.